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naar sara tiret @wird A GEORGE W. WOOD,I OF YORK, NpY., ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH W. KENd DALL, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

lLeners Palms N. 102,351, dated April 2e, 1870.

EMEEOVEMENT 1N EAR-BRUSHES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the came.

To all whom it may conce/rn Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WOOD, of New York, of New York county, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improved Ear-Brush and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making part of this application.

Previous to my invention, what is known in surgery as a probang has been used to cleanse and probe the ear, and a merchautable' and more desirable article for common use as an earbrush or cleanser is now manufactured and sold, known as the anrilave or ear-brush, such as described in Letters Patent granted to G. H. M. F. Lovell, and dated July 27, 1869.

In the ordinary probang, a piece of sponge is sirnply secured in any desirable manner to one end of a suitable stem, generallyof a flexible nature, while in the ear-brush manufactured under the Letters Patent referred to, the sponge is fastened to one end of a rigid handle or stem made of wood, ivory, or other suitable material, and a portion of thesaid stem or handle and part of the' sponge (where the sponge is secured to the stem) are enveloped by arubber tube, which covers and protects the fastening, and forms a finish.

In both the instruments mentioned, adapted to wash or cleanse the ear, the sponge or other material constituting the brush portion, or that part which is wet and used .to wash with, is always uncovered or ex-` posed, which is obviously an objection.

It will be understood that an ear-brush as heretofore made is liable to have its sponge get dirty when not in use, and that, as a toilet article, it is often inconvenientv to put away or carry after use with the wet portion exposed.

My invention has for its main object to overcome the objections which exist in the ear-brush or instrument for cleansing the ear as heretofore made, with its sponge portion unprotected, or always uncovered, and provide a more desirable and better article; 'and to this end,

' My invention consists in providing an ear-brush or instrument for cleansing the ear with a movable shield or protector, which can, at pleasure, be made to inolose or cover and protect the sponge, or that part which is wetted to wash with, as will be hereinafter more fully explained; and

My invention further consists in certain improvements in the construction and arrangement of the parts of an ear-brush, hereinafter more `fully described.

To enable those skilled inthe art to make and use l my invention, I will proceed to describe it more fully, relferlmg by letters to the accompanying drawings, in W i0 Figure l is an elevation of one of my improved earbrushes;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the saine;

Figure 3, a similar section with the sponge covered; and

Figure 4, detail detached views. y

In the several figures, the same parts are designated by same letters of reference.V

A is the handle or stem of the brush;

B, the sponge or brush part; and

O, the shield or protector.

The handle A may be made of ivory, wood, hard rubber, or other suitable material, of any desired shape and size. I propose to make it about the size and shape shown. 'It is formed with a screw-thread, at d, and with a teat or projectiugvend, at e,.to which latterthe sponge B is secured by a thread wrapping, as clearly seen at iig. 3. y c

v The teat e may have a hole in it, to facilitate the securing ofthe thread. wrapper and sponge.

The sponge B is secured to the teat e in such a manner that the sponge and wrapper shall bev about iush with the extreme diameter of the threaded por-- tion d, so that, when the shield C is screwed up over it, its thread willtake into, or form an articial thread in, the sponge and wrapper, the shield coming up against the body of the sponge, covering the wrapper, and forming a nish, as seen at iig. l.

At iig. 1, the brush is seen as when in use, while at iig. 3 it is shown with the shield O screwed up, so as to entirely cover over the sponge B.

The threaded portion d is long enough to hold the shield C when screwed clear up, as seen at fig. 3, while the plain portion of the handle is made of such a diametcr and shape as to permit said shield to be screwed back suiiciently far to allow of the wrapping of the sponge, to secure it in the first place, or remove and renew it.

The general application to use of my improved earbrush is, of course, about the same as thlt of the other ear-brushes referred to, and the generaladvantages of its use need not be alluded to particularly here.

It will 'be seen that, by making the brush, as dealso capable of having the brush or sponge squeezed and covered over, to protect it from dirt, and render the article convenient to carry in the pocket or elsewhere.

Although IV propose to make the handle with the teat portion e of less diameter than the threaded part d, and secure the sponge as described, it will be understood that the main feature of my inventionthe in use.

movable shield or protector-may be used Without this peculiar method of construction; and it will be understood that, in lieu of the screw-shield or tube C, arranged and operating as described, the sponge protecto may be diilerently made and arranged, the gist of this part of my invention consisting in the idea of providing the brush with a suitable movable or removable part adapted to cover the sponge when not But Ideem the method of construction and the adaptation of shield shown and described as being the best. y

Having explained my invention so that those skilledin the art can make and use my improved ear-brush, 

